"Manik, what were you thinking before announcing everything in front of the media? Don't you know the consequences of your act?" I asked when he came back from the press conference.
"Actually Nandini it wasn't a part of the plan. I got carried away when he told me to elaborate. I never had enough courage to confront you after that incident and I got it in that moment so I just went with the flow." He confessed, I felt tired of his mood swings. I always wanted to hear those words from him, I carved for them but he never confessed now when I'm trying to move on he has to pull this kind of stunts on me. I just wished he would've confronted me instead of making me feel like a crap.
"So you think after this I'll forgive you for everything."
"No Nandini that's not what I mean, we had to use the land and there's no way I'm going to build his dream project on it. So me and mom, we decided to choose this project, Nandini I ain't doing any favour on you neither I expect anything in return not even your forgiveness." He said, his eyes carried a huge amount of guilt and burden. It reminded of the worst time I had gone through, a part of me regret confronting him, I could have died peacefully without knowing anything, his apologies and guilty face were brushing my wounds again and again.
"Good because you shouldn't, I'm not answering you back." I answered, I shook my head as the pang of pain throbbed against my chest. I'd enough nights crying over everything now I don't even want to think about it.
"Manik, media will butcher the news. They will drag our personal life in public." I tried to put some logic in his brain through my words though I knew it was a futile attempt. Anything related to logic and sense doesn't get along with him otherwise he wouldn't have done something like this.
"I'll make sure that they don't" He answered defensively.
"You think you can stop media, seriously?"
"I can't stop them but I can bribe them. Nandini, leave everything on me. I'll take care of it." He comforted, I couldn't understand his statement what was the need of public apology if he was going to bribe them for not publishing anything. He claimed that he had changed, he's not impulsive anymore but still he's as impulsive as before. Impulsiveness was a trait imprinted so deep within his head and nothing could ever change it.
"Don't stress yourself much, you need rest. You had dinner?" He asked.
"Hmm, a while ago." I answered forgetting the another topic. He went to get my medicines as he saw them lying untouched on the table. He gestured me to take them when he returned, I received them. I silently swallowed the medicine along with water.
"I think you should sleep now." He gently placed the pillow behind my back and turned the lights off.
*******
I woke up, lazily stretching my arms. I took a moment to register my surroundings. Everything in the room was different from the ceiling to the walls of the room. I rubbed my eyes to for a clear view, the entire room was stuffed with toys and dolls.
"Surprise..!" Manik cheered.
"Finally Nandini we are done with the room. It's so beautiful, look at it and then tell how it is," he said warmth travel through my heart down to my toes when I explored the room with my eyes. The walls of the room were painted in baby pink color, one was decorated with cute baby pictures and other with cartoon characters. The ceiling of the room had multiple artificial stars to light up the room in darkness. The entire place was radiating with love and warmth.
"You know what Nandini, this feeling is just out of the world. I used to think what I feel for Mukti is fatherly love but I was wrong it's beyond anything. Expecting a baby; who is my own blood; a symbol of our love; is something that words can't express." He exclaimed in a chocked emotional yet excited tone. I smiled seeing the sparkle of utmost love of a father in his eyes. I could understand what he was feeling right now,
I remember what I felt when I came to know that I was going to be mother, I felt like my life was complete in true sense, and I knew I was changed forever in that instant. I knew that I would do anything for this tiny creature, even give up on my own life. It really doesn't matter for me if I live or die, nothing is more important than this tiny blessing growing inside my stomach.
"10 or more days Nandini our baby will come in this world. We would be able to hold our own blood in our arms. I can't tell you how blessed I'm feeling right now. I just want that moment to come as soon as possible." He exclaimed cheerfully, squeezing my hand out of my happiness. Little smile adorned his lips, and the delight his eyes showed didn't go unnoticed by me. I instantly imagined the little one crying in his arms. I wondered how our baby would look like, who's feature he or she will have, his or mine.
"Yeah 10 days more then you will be able to hold your baby." I found pain residing inside my chest when it came out of my mouth. I rewind his words back in my head, they felt like an invisible knife cutting through my chest, depleting my whole energy.
"Why only me Nandini?" He looked at me with hope in his eyes, waiting for me to correct my sentence. I panicked, unable to choose the suitable words to change my statement.
"Even you will, both of us will," he added, I wish, Manik I wish to hold, I wish to feel, touch and kiss, I wish to see and admire our baby.
"This toys they are so beautiful." I diverted the topic.
"I'm glad that you loved it." He said, his eyes shining in a self-satisfied manner. I got out of the bed to have clear look of the room. The entire room was stuffed with Teddy bears, Barbies, feather cushions, doll houses and what not, it had all the toys that a kid would ever dream of, I went near the huge brown teddy bear, it was bigger than my height, I hugged it tightly, a lone trickle down my eye when I pictured my baby sleeping in his lap. I wish I see could her or him.
I sat on my knees to admire the pink cradle, I put my hand in it, imagining my kid sleeping in the cradle. I was careful enough not to push it as pushing the empty cradle is a sign of a bad luck.
"Manik, thank you so much for this surprise. I'm so happy." I touching the pink Barbie doll, I could picture my little love playing with all of them, smiling, laughing, enjoying.
"Manik, In return I'm giving you a wish you can ask for anything except for few things of course." I said, circling around the entire room.
It was so fulfilling to be surrounded by the things that belong to my baby. No doubt why motherhood is a divine emotion, an incomparable feeling. No matter how hard I try, I can never describe it in words.
"I don't need anything in return Nandini."
"What's there in the cupboard?" I pointed towards the cupboard that was painted in white color.
"Clothes, do you want to see?" I nodded wordlessly and walked towards the cupboard.
Manik's P.O.V.
She opened the cupboard to find the clothes of our baby. She bought few dresses out and looked at them with tears in her eyes. She looked so beautiful with the faint light of the room reflecting on her gorgeous face making her look even more serene. The way her eyes flicked open and close to, the way her lips curved into slight smiles whenever she saw something beautiful related to her baby. I wish I could something to make her feel better about herself. She had been through enough things and it was joyous for me to see her smiling. I would have kissed her only if we were same like before someone said it right 'you only understand the importance of a thing when it is snatched away from you' I could completely relate to it.
Buzzing sound of my phone broke my reverie, I saw Mukti's name flashing on the main screen. I left the room as I didn't want to disturb her.
"Bhai, actually I need something from Nandini's cupboard. I'm trying to call her from last ten minutes but she isn't answering my calls."
"That's because she's with me. She might have left her phone in our room." I spoke in hussed manner as I was still close to her.
"Okay leave it, can you bring me what I need?"
"Okay tell me what it is?"
"It's an envelope, it has something important related to my college. Last month I gave it to Nandini and now I want it back. I'm in college can you please send it to me?"
"Do you know where it is? I asked because I had no idea about the envelope she was asking for and I didn't want to bother Nandini.
"Yes, she has kept it in her cupboard. It's there in her drawer."
"Okay let me check." I went inside our room and unlocked her cupboard. I pulled the knob of the drawer to find the envelope. I rummaged through her drawers, dropping stuff on the floor in the process. After flipping through few documents I found few envelopes, few were in white color and one in brown color.
"Mukti what is the colour of the envelope?"
"Brown" I instantly recognized the envelope and pulled it out. Instead of keeping others back I kept them in my pocket as their title For you my little Love mumma, tempted me.
"Okay I got it. I'll send it to you."
"Done Bhai do it fast." I hang up on her without further conversation. I strode out of the room and gave the brown envelope to my servant. I told him that Mukti needed it and he said he will give it to the driver.
"What's inside the letter" I wondered, the thought itself piqued my curiosity. I slowly unfolded the letter, I was getting impatient with each unfold. I know she'd be angry on me if she ever came to know that I read her personal stuff still I wanted to read it.
My little bundle of joy,
It's been a while since I last wrote you, and a lot has happened in that time. Last I wrote you when you kicked my stomach for the first time. I felt your movement inside me, you were there in my womb, alive and breathing. I still remember how excited I was and the pure joy, it was one of the best moments of my life.
I read the first paragraph of her letter, it thrilled me and filled me with sense of love. Nandini and her little things are always adorable and special. I kissed the letter and began to read it again.
Then doctor told me that my case is complicated I might not survive, she told me that my womb is too weak to carry you. My baby my heart enough to carry you so I decided not to go for abortion. I choose to kill myself rather than killing you. You are far more precious to me than my own life.
I was shocked beyond measures, for a moment I felt like had I read something wrong so I reread the passage to confirm my doubt but it had the same line.
I read further and further, everything that she had written, all the letters had the same line.
I might not be there for you when you arrive but I want you to know that I'm always there for you.
You just need to close your eyes you will find me there always with you.
A sudden panic attack reverberated through my body as the gravity of the situation sank in.
I hastily poked the digits of my number to Navya's number.
"Hello" her voice fell in my ears as she answered my call.
"Hello, Navya. Manik here..where are you right now? I want to meet you as soon as possible." I failed to hide my anxiety.
"Manik, why do you sound restless? Is Nandini fine?"
"She is, now answer me."
"Right now I'm out of town but I'll be back by evening. You can visit my apartment around 8 pm."
"Okay"
YOU ARE READING
Devil's Bride
Fanfiction"Bhai stop it what are you doing? She's your wife" Mukti yelled at me. "But I don't want her, I never did neither I expected this to happen" I growled smashing my fist against the door. She held my hand, worriedly. "Please bhai don't do this, stop t...
